Introduction
Welcome to WinSport's 2023 Report to the Community
The report includes a review of WinSport’s fiscal year from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, as well as an outlook toward 2024 and beyond.
WinSport continues to play a critical role in the year-round physical and mental health of Calgarians, Albertans, and Canadians alike, from grassroots sport to those who represent our country on the world stage. We are unwavering in our mission, which is to provide inclusive opportunities for Canadians to discover, develop, and excel at sport and physical activity through world-class training, facilities, and exceptional experiences.
The winter 2022-23 season broke records with a staggering 9,000 passholders and an unforgettable holiday season. Mother Nature teamed up with perfect ski and snowboard conditions, creating an atmosphere that drew record numbers to the hill.
This past winter season also saw the continuing trend of a changing demographic of our guests.
While WinSport has always been the gold standard for beginners and ‘never ever’ skiers, more and more new Canadians, many of whom are spending their first winter in Calgary, are taking the opportunity to immerse themselves in winter by enrolling in programs or spending the day on the hill. Some of these individuals had their first experience with winter sport as part of our Newcomers Program, which provides an opportunity to introduce new Canadians to winter sport as a way to help them integrate into the Calgary community. (You can read more details about this program later in this report).
The Servus Tube Park opened for its sixth season in December 2022, with the entrance relocated to the northeast corner of the day lodge parking lot, with improved signage and wayfinding, lighting, guest check-in, and rider experience. The discounted Servus Tube Park Fridays, which were held on select Fridays during the season, were a resounding success, with each session sold out. The tube park benefits thousands of guests each year, especially those who don’t have the ability or face other barriers to skiing and snowboarding.
The summer 2023 mountain bike season saw a rise in ridership on the downhill trails, with positive feedback from the investment made in the trails in the past couple of years. The skills park, located on the west side of Canada Olympic Park, provided great opportunities for beginners and for skill development for those participating in WinSport’s summer camps and other mountain bike programs.
On the west side of the park, the Markin MacPhail Centre was a hub of activity, with more than 10,500 individual ice bookings in 2022-23. Hockey, skating, figure skating, ringette, and sledge hockey dominated the schedule, as bookings returned to near pre-pandemic numbers.
The PTC in the MMC held steady with individual members, while team training grew. Our strength and conditioning coaches delivered team training sessions not only to winter athletes from hockey, figure skating, and snow sports, but also to teams and individuals from soccer baseball, rugby, football, and lacrosse, among other sports.
In September 2022, WinSport announced that the transformation of the WinSport Arena to the newly named WinSport Event Centre had been completed. The main arena at the Markin MacPhail Centre and the second-floor conference area transitioned to the new name to better reflect the versatility of the venue. The move came on the heels of numerous successful events held at the complex, including the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship and the curling hub in spring 2021.
The WinSport Event Centre is now anchored by Calgary’s new professional team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, with the Surge playing home games at the Event Centre and drawing impressive crowds. It was a successful inaugural season for the Surge, which lost in the championship final, and which will continue to make its home at Canada Olympic Park in 2024.
The Event Centre has a busy slate in 2024, from the Canadian National Figure Skating Championships (January) to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts (February), and the Harlem Globetrotters (March).
WinSport’s largest and most impactful project since the opening of the Markin MacPhail Centre in 2011 will begin in the spring with the renovation and expansion of the day lodge. The new design includes improved access from the parking lot to the hill, and improved flow, inclusivity, and accessibility of the various guest service facilities and public use spaces, while substantially improving the energy efficiency of the building to net-zero emissions standards. You can read more about this project in the letter from President & CEO Barry Heck.
With the support of our volunteer Board, WinSport continues to work toward financial stability, while supporting the ever-changing needs of the sport landscape and remaining a community hub. We look forward to transforming lives and shaping our city through our firm commitment to inclusivity, empowerment, and the pursuit of dreams.